AI.XIV.B.S1
SkillIf anchoring, select a suitable area considering seaplane movement, water depth, tide, wind, and weather changes. Use an adequate number of anchors and lines of sufficient strength and length to ensure the seaplane’s security.
From the FAA library
- LANDING › CONFINED AREA LANDING
pitching and rolling produced by the water motion increases the likelihood of the wind lifting a wing and flipping the seaplane. There is additional information on rough water landings in Chapter 8, Emergency Open Sea Operations. CONFINED AREA LANDING ... first concerns when considering a landing in a confined area is whether it is possible to get out again. For most seaplanes, the takeoff run is usually much longer than the landing run. Before landing, the pilot should also consider…
- LANDING › CROSSWIND LANDING
Directional control can be more difficult on water because the surface is more yielding, there is less surface friction than on land, and seaplanes lack brakes. These factors increase the seaplane’s tendency to weathervane into the wind. One technique ... sometimes used to compensate for crosswinds during water operations is the same as that used on land; that is, by lowering the upwind wing while holding a straight course with rudder. This creates a slip into the wind to offset…
- LANDING › DOWNWIND LANDING
DOWNWIND LANDING Although downwind landings often require significantly more water area, there are occasions when they are more convenient or even safer than landing into the wind. Sometimes landing upwind would mean a long, slow taxi back along the landing ... path to get to the dock or mooring area. If winds are less than 5 knots and there is ample room, landing downwind could save taxi time. Unless the winds are light, a downwind landing is seldom necessary. Before deciding…
- LANDING › ANCHORING
ANCHORING Anchoring is the easiest way to secure a seaplane on the water surface. The area selected should be out of the way of moving vessels, and in water deep enough that the seaplane will not be left ... aground during low tide. The holding characteristics of the bottom are important in selecting an appropriate anchorage. The length of the anchor line should be about seven times the depth of the water. After dropping the anchor with…
- SEAPLANE REGULATIONS
separate written test is required for pilots who are adding seaplane to an existing pilot certificate. Adding a seaplane rating does not modify the overall limitations and privileges of the pilot certificate. For example, private pilots with a seaplane rating ... authorized to engage in seaplane operations that would require a commercial certificate. Likewise, a pilot with a single-engine seaplane class rating may not fly multiengine seaplanes without further training. However, no regulatory distinction is made between flying boats…
- LANDING › GLASSY WATER LANDING
GLASSY WATER LANDING Flat, calm, glassy water certainly looks inviting and may give the pilot a false sense of safety. By its nature, glassy water indicates no wind, so there are no concerns about which direction to land, no crosswind ... consider, no weathervaning, and obviously no rough water. Unfortunately, both the visual and the physical characteristics of glassy water hold potential hazards for complacent pilots. Consequently, this surface condition is frequently more dangerous than it appears for a landing seaplane…